Dundee Housing First

Transform Community Development has been at the forefront of developing the Housing First programme in Dundee. We proudly led the Pathfinder programme alongside other local organisations, supporting Scotland’s plan to end homelessness. This plan focuses on securing settled housing as quickly as possible, making Housing First the default approach for people whose homelessness is complicated by trauma, addictions, or mental ill-health.

Our commitment to this vision inspired us to pioneer the Housing First programme in Dundee — a groundbreakingly initiative that transforms lives and strengthens communities.

Housing First is built around seven key principles that shape its ethos and day-to-day delivery:

People have a right to a home.
Flexible support is provided for as long as it is needed.
Housing and support are separated.
Individuals have choice and control.
An active engagement approach is used.
The service focuses on people’s strengths, goals, and aspirations.
A harm reduction approach is applied.

Housing First aims to secure long-term stability for individuals facing complex challenges. It is a promise to build a future where housing is not just a temporary fix, but a lasting sanctuary.

We believe that everyone deserves a stable home — without unnecessary barriers or hoops to jump through.

With Housing First, we’re not just addressing homelessness; we’re creating lasting change. It’s a journey towards sustained stability, empowering individuals to write their own stories of success and independence.

As we continue this transformative journey, your support plays a vital role in our shared mission.

If you or someone you know needs help finding stable housing, please reach out to us. Join us in creating a community where everyone has a place to call home.

Resources

Dundee Housing First Flow Chart

Dundee Housing First screening

Dundee Housing First referral

FAQs

Transform Community Development operate on a liberated method of support, there is no wrong door.

Housing First does not require people experiencing homelessness to address the all of their problems including behavioural health problems, or to graduate through a series of services programs before they can access housing. Housing First does not mandate participation in services either before obtaining housing or in order to retain housing. The Housing First approach views housing as the foundation for life improvement and enables access to permanent housing without prerequisites or conditions beyond those of a typical renter. Supportive services are offered to support people with housing stability and individual well-being, but participation is not required as services have been found to be more effective when a person chooses to engage. Other approaches do make such requirements in order for a person to obtain and retain housing.

Housing First is for homeless people who have complex needs. As outlined above, the evidence shows that there are extremely strong housing sustainment rates for this group. Defining Housing First participants They are people who are currently homeless and have complex or multiple support needs: This includes a combination of some history of mental health issues, substance misuse and offending behaviour.

Yes! Scotlands Housing First Pathfinder programme ran for three years from April 2019 and provided independent tenancies and support for 579 individuals across five areas: Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Stirling. It served as a litmus test regarding the opportunities and challenges involved in scaling up Housing First as it moves toward becoming the default response for homeless people with complex needs across Scotland. Core messages from an independent evaluation, conducted by I-SPHERE in partnership with ICF, have been distilled in a blog by Prof Sarah Johnsen and Dr Janice Blenkinsopp.